#laggan dam

[dansnaturepictures]

Four of my favourite photos I took in April 2024 and month summary

The photos are of; an Osprey at Lossiemouth in Moray, Speckled Wood on dandelions by Lakeside Country Park in Hampshire, early spider orchid at Durlston in Dorset and view at Laggan Dam.

April was another momentous and splendid wild month for me with so much seen and many amazing places visited. My birdwatching year continued to go from strength to strength with some smashing spring species seen and my year list kept pace with where my others had been at this stage in a year being second only to the number I was on last year my highest ever year list. Spring delights Swallow, House Martin, Wheatear, Whitethroat, glorious Sedge Warbler, Redstart, thrilling views of Guillemot and Fulmar, Little Tern and Common Tern were key species added to my year list this month alongside blockbuster names Osprey and rare Marsh Sandpiper. Avocet, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Sand Martin, Goldcrest, Blackcap seen and heard and my first Cuckoos heard this year were other highlights. Following the Lakeside Great Crested Grebes with their four growing chicks and a pair still courting and the new Winchester Peregrine pair was special again this month, as was seeing Greylag goslings and adorable Moorhen chicks at Lakeside. The month ended and the new one began whilst away on the incredible adventure that has been our Scotland holiday; it has been pure, tranquil, joyful and nourishing being out in wilderness areas surrounded and embraced by sensational wildlife both at the amazing cottage we’re staying in and the many fantastic places visited. By the end of April we had already seen many of the standout species of the trip including resplendent summer plumage Black-throated Diver and Red-throated Diver, majestic White-tailed Eagle, exuberant Willow Warblers a very welcome constant, Pink-footed Geese, Red Grouse, Red-legged Partridge, loads of Common Sandpipers, Little Ringed Plover, Knot, Hooded Crow, Kittiwake, amazing views of many Ospreys, Razorbill, Puffin, Common Scoter, Goosander, Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, Teal, Wheater, Sand Martin, Yellowhammer, Crossbill, Brambling, White Wagtail, Tree Sparrow, Raven, Skylark, Buzzard, Common Gull, Curlew, Lapwing and Oystercatcher.

It was a massive butterfly month for me too as the peak season moved through the early gears enjoying magical views of Red Admiral, Peacock, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Holly Blue and Wall Brown with many making the most of the wealth of dandelions out the front and at Lakeside. My moth year got going too with White-shouldered House moth at home and bright Brimstone moth at Durlston.

It was a marvellous month of mammals with Hedgehog at home, more Roe Deers in a strong year I’m having for them, Sika Deers on the way to Durlston and Grey Squirrels enjoyed. A massive part of the Scotland trip was exhilarating encounters with mammals, getting some of my best ever views of certain species; inside April this included stunning intimate views of Hares and Roe Deers around the cottage, an amazing moment as a Stoat ran through the garden, a dream encounter watching Bottlenose Dolphins at Spey Bay and Mountain Goats. Bees, spiders, Black and Yellow Cellar slugs and pill woodlouse were other highlights this moth. 

Flowers gripped my month of course too as the season really matured with cuckooflower, garlic mustard, wild garlic, early purple orchid, my first ever known sighting of green-winged orchid, early spider orchid, cowslips, bluebells, greater stitchwort, marsh marigold, wood anemone, milkwort, buttercups, lesser celandine, wood anemone, cuckoo-pint, red deadnettle, white deadnettle, yellow archangel, forget-me-not, green alkanet, speedwell and herb-Robert starring alongside the breathtaking dandelion scenes. Vetch, sea and red campion, thrift, hogweed and oxeye daisy (some more than others and largely down to personal perspective) were examples of the cycle of the floral year being slightly ahead again. In Scotland it was interesting to observe spring being slightly behind compared to home with daffodils and primroses still around in numbers among others. It was nice to enjoy the sight of fungi here and there in April including hoof fungus in Scotland.

I enjoyed two great social occasions this month, the Hampshire Ornithological Society’s Member’s Day and a talk from Megan McCubbin based around her book which I thoroughly enjoyed reading earlier in the year. Both were inspirational and eye-opening times where it was great to meet like-minded people something watching the Great Crested Grebes has allowed a lot too. Finally I enjoyed being out and looking out so much in April taking in my surroundings and taking in some wonderful vistas and epic sky scenes. Immersed in the splendour of the vast, open, rugged, mountainous and varied landscape in Scotland also including wetland, coast and forest we enjoyed some incredible and breathtaking views.

[el-pollo-gigantes]

Hydro power! by ßlϋeωãvε Loch Laggan dam in full flow. https://flic.kr/p/duJYj4

[alexdehaas]

Laggan Dam at the Roy Bridge Reservoir, Scotland. by Alex de Haas

[azvolrien]

I’m not technically finished with my holiday yet - I’m no longer on Skye, but I’ve stopped at a hotel in Fort William for one night before driving back to Edinburgh - but I’m going to upload a few photos now anyway.

This is the Laggan Dam, a hydroelectric dam on the River Spean near (surprise, surprise) Loch Laggan. You may recognise the name if you’ve read Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series.

[bethtrotter-blog]

Laggan Dam, Scotland

[jannis-world-connection]

Posted @withregram • @simply.scotland An aerial shot of Laggan Dam🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Congratulations to @drewa1983 📍Location: Laggan Dam Go visit the artists gallery and share some love!♥️ Follow @simply.scotland for more! #scotland #simplyscotland https://www.instagram.com/p/CHy5EyEhqE6/?igshid=amw7jzn2alem

[mind-go-boom]

Laggan Dam was overflowing today! (at Laggan Dam) https://www.instagram.com/p/B846sU-n4Is/?igshid=vsxd92sltuks

[douglas-explores]

Back in the big city with @_romamccook. However in this photo we were in Scotland. . . . #instagood #vsco #livefolk #liveauthentic #artofvisuals #travel #instago #instatravel #travelgram #folkgreen #travelling #letsgosomewhere #wildernessculture #neverstopexploring #exploretocreate #stayandwander #passionpassport #ourplanetdaily #nakedplanet #iphone #mountains #exploremore #moodygrams #wanderlust #scotlandexplore #canon #aov #scotland #earthoffical #agameoftones (at Laggan Dam)

[dundeethistlecycleclubblog]

Fort William - There and Back Again (247 miles) Saturday 22nd September.

By Stephen King

Almost full Tolkien.

Fort William - There and Back Again (247 miles) Saturday 22nd September:

A Muppet’s Tale (Lord of the Kings version)

So I left ‘The Shire’ at 5am and headed off in to the darkness, Mount Moulin beckoned and Sauron had stirred up an evil headwind . I should have asked Gandalf to magic up some tri-bars ,no matter, I had good heart and adopted the rule 5 approach. Mind you ,I was still a bit miffed having to pedal down Moulin. Through Pitlochry and nothing stirred ,not even an Orc. Was almost tempted by a Bruar breakfast but carried on, no tartan or shortbread were purchased.

Cycle path from Calvine even though I kept hearing a Sproul howling in the wind “You would be quicker on the road daftie” .I ignored this and the A9,even though it was quite. On to Dalwhinnie ,(Dalwindie more like) and the first stop at Laggan cake shop (80 miles if anyone cares) ,excellent cake but only soup as a hot option. Things speeded up a bit once I turned along Laggan and i started looking forward to the dam ,where it’s mostly all downhill to Spean bridge, jeez that’s a long loch. Got to the dam (100miles) and it proper chucked it down, just long and hard enough to get soaked. Still,it was now easy pedalling to the lovely A82 ,populated by halfwits and tour busses.I think my rain jacket was doubling as an invisibility cloak. I wanted to get this bit of the road over and done with so went straight through Fort Bill. Road stayed super busy all the way to the second stop at Ballachulish and had me wishing that I had done a midnight start so I could have hit it quieter.

Glencoe was stunning in the Autumn light and the tourist traffic was starting to calm down as they all rushed home to watch Strictly. :-)

Even with a bit of a tailwind it felt like a slog along to Tyndrum), straight past the Green Welly (160ish miles) and on to Crianlarich ,then the tailwind really got going towards Glen Ogle, where it was lights on for the downhill to Lochearnhead. Roads really quite now so I could ride in the middle and cut all the corners, great hill that. Blown along loch Earn and Comrie appeared pretty quick. Stopped in Crieff and while changing over the batteries in the front light I managed to somehow bump one of the buttons on my Garmin, it went on pause, IDIOT!!.So the last mileage recorded was 194 :-( . I think I will have a wee pedal back sometime to see what was missed. Back road to Newmiln and it didn’t seem to take long to get to Perth .

I did look at the Kinnoull hill option for about 10 seconds but went for the cycle path along the A90 to Glencarse which was fine. The back roads through Errol and Kingoodie were done on auto pilot with only Ninewells to worry about. When we used to do that trip as a weekender we always thought it was around 250,but it may come out closer to 240,which is a shame as doing a 400km ride always sounds way more impressive ;-) . Anyway it’s done and I am kinda glad that I didn’t try the ‘Lang Way Doon’ which is what I had originally planned for this weekend,I think that extra 100 on top would have been too much. 

Good points--- Being out when it’s quite and watching the sun come up--tailwinds when you most need them---the Glens (that is some back yard we have to play in)---choosing the steel frame over carbon, it may be a heavy old thing by modern standards ,but I love that bike--- Assos Crème . Bad points --- That headwind—the A82 – Garmin side buttons – Ninewells hill finish (I almost cried).

No Hobbits were harmed in this adventure. Looks like it was St Fillans where I nudged the Garmin ,so working it out with a bit of google mapping the total was 247 and a bit miles.Glad I didn't know that at the time or I would have had to cyle to the ferry to make it 400km

[dansnaturepictures]

April end of month post 4 of 4: Ten of my favourite landscape photos I took this month at; Mull, Lakeside Country Park and on the way, Cairn Gorm, Loch Garten, Laggan Dam, Stanpit Marsh and Portland Bill. 

My month summary is here: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/716019757084770304/april-end-of-month-post-1-of-4-ten-of-my

[ramzoozi]

Photo by @kevinlhiking ・・・ @unlimitedscotland UNLIMITED SCOTLAND 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 PHOTOGRAPHER | @kevinlhiking 🌟 LOCATION | #laggan 📍 FOLLOWS US | @unlimitedscotland TAG US | #unlimitedscotland #scotland . ADMIN | @ramseyselim 🌟 . ___________________________________________ PLEASE VISIT @unlimitededinburgh 💛 @unlimitedwales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @unlimitedbritain 🇬🇧 @unlimited.egypt 🇪🇬 @luxuryexplorers 🌟 ____________________________________________ #scottishroamers #mytiso #scotspirit #lovesscotland #travelphotography #thisisscotland #tisoonline #hiddenscotland #inspiretoexplore #insta_scotland #ig_scotland #thisismyadventure #trespass #myscotland #scotlandsbeauty #getoutdoors #visitscotland #visitbritain  #highlander #photosaroundscotland (at Laggan Dam)

[alexdehaas]

River Spean near Laggan Dam, Scotland. by Alex de Haas

[caitlinxeliz]

WHEN YOU'RE THE VICTIM OF A NARCISSIST BUT ACTING LIKE ONE (the fine line edging codependency) . . . Codependency. When someone's existence is more important than our own. When "helping others" looks like others' problems becoming our own. When we take everything personally. We have almost no personal boundaries and also don't respect the boundaries of other people. When we live vicariously through others' moods, opinions, responses, and reactions. When our anxiety about all of this drives us to try to control everything and everyone around us. . . . Wait... are we talking about narcissists or codependents? . . . The behaviours are so similar. Both involve a great amount of manipulation, often using similar techniques, including gaslighting, drama triangle power plays, passive aggressiveness, and guilt trips. Both sets of behaviours involve a focus on the self in relation to other people. . . . They're not exactly the same thing... . . . To the comments! 👇🏻⛈✨ (at Laggan Dam)

[bethtrotter-blog]

Laggan Dam, Scotland

[le-maddeh]

fam bam, thank you ma’am. (at Laggan Dam)

[aaliaksei]

Плотина с 1934 года. Почти 50 метров высотой и 210 м в длину. #Scotland #uk (at Laggan Dam)